Visit To The Buckingham

July 24th

GG, my grandma, the babies great grandma, lives at The Buckingham... She calls it her "old folks home," however, it's really a fancy pants retirement community. She has been telling me forever that the residents there have been following my blog and that they love the babies dearly. So one Friday, we decided to take the babies to meet everyone. I think that I was just expecting to show a few people the babies and hang out with GG. But that was the furthest from what happened. There were more than 100 people there -- old and young! They reserved the Buckingham Theater for us and their chef made cookies and lemonade for everyone. Everyone was so fabulous! They brought gifts and played with the babies. One lady even wrote us a poem! (See below.) The babies loved all of the attention and I loved seeing how many people loved them and supported our family.

To the residents of the Buckingham: Thank you so much for a wonderful day! I was so touched by how many of you came to see us. Thank you for being interested in my families journey and for praying for us and loving us. I am sorry if I didn't get to talk to each you personally or if you weren't able to hold a baby, but we will be back!!

Melissa (Our wonderful nanny, ) GG, Me
Mitchell, Sidney, Luke, Ivy, Brie
(GG made the babies Buckingham B T-shirts!)

GG & Luke

Poem by Edna Ahlers
There was once a soon=to=be mother
Who was overjoyed to discover
That soon there would arrive
Not one new born but five.

We think of the 3AM feedings and shudder
And our hearts go out to the mother
Then we think of the joys we will know
As we watch each of them grow.

Dr. Gioia Visits!

July 10th

Melissa Gioia -- the resident who took care of me while I was in the hospital in Phoenix and delivered the babies-- came to visit me and the babies for a weekend. We had so much fun with her here. It felt like she had been a part of our lives forever! She slept on our couch, helped me sweep the nasty floor after meal times, refereed baby meltdowns, was a baby jungle gym all with a smile on her face. It was a quick weekend, but we squeezed in a girls night as well!

Melissa & Ellen
Mitchell, Sidney, Luke, Brie, Ivy

Mitchell & Ivy on Melissa
(The babies would "run" to the couch and want to crawl on her!)

Peek-a-Boo Brie

Girls Night
Ellen, Susan, Amy, Brie, Melissa
(p.s. Brie is Briellen's namesake.)

Just writing this post makes me reflect on my time in Phoenix (10 weeks of it in the hospital!) Melissa was there for me the entire time, not only as my doctor but as my friend... Whether to take out my c-section staples because I was afraid or make a special trip into the hospital to do my D&C or visit me in the NICU almost daily. She even organized a girls dinner at a trendy restaurant when I was out of the hospital and missing my "normal" life.

Although she did make my life miserable at times, i.e. too much magnesium, the dreaded pessary, I can not even imagine what it would have been like without her. Everyday she came to see me and measure the babies heartbeats, to chat, to assure me that I didn't have MRSA, to give me the scoop on shopping, boys and current events. Everyday she was there to encourage me that I could make it one more day.

Thanks, Melissa, for everything that you did for me! Love you!

Melissa in Phoenix
Mitchell, Sidney, Briellen, Luke, Ivy

Melissa & Me on One of Her Day's Off

Delivery Day w/ Huge Belly!

1st Birthday Party

June 27th

So, we had a big bash for the babies the Saturday after their 1st birthday. No theme -- my only requirements were Sangria and Cupcakes. Yummy, Yummy! We had the party at my sister Amy's house because she not only has an awesome big backyard, but that way I didn't have to plan a party around the babies napping and eating! We had such a good time... All of my family and Stephens family were there... All of our good friends were there... Most of the people who have been helping us this past year were there... Everyone there played an important role in our lives. It was fun to celebrate with all of them. It was a bit of a blur, not enough time to talk to everyone and not enough time to take pictures. After the party, Stephen took the babies home and let me stay to hang out with my friends that didn't have to leave early.

The only downside to the entire day was that Ivy had a stomach bug... She ended up giving it to all of her siblings and our nanny Melissa, but other than that no one else at the party was contaminated.

(I won't even go into the hell that is 5 babies with stomach bugs -- you can imagine.)

Cupcakes!!

Luke -- Before

Luke -- After

Sidney -- Before

Sidney -- After

Briellen -- Before

Briellen -- After

Mitchell -- Before

Mitchell -- After

Ivy -- Before

Ivy -- After

Because things were a titch chaotic, we decided to open the gifts at home after the party. The best idea ever! For an entire week, anytime the babies got fussy, I would pull out a new gift for them to unwrap. And, yes, they were more interested in the wrapping and boxes than the gifts at the time. Especially little Sidney who loves to eat EVERYTHING. I pulled more paper, ribbon, box pieces out of her mouth that week!

Brie, Mitchell, Luke, Ivy, Sidney
Gifts in the Background

Opening Gifts

Three Walkers!!

I have an entire month of news to catch you up on, but today was such a big day for us, I am jumping right to it! Mitchell, Luke & Ivy walked today!!! All of the babies have been teetering on the edge of walking... but these three finally did it. I was shocked that Mitchell was the first... I would have sworn that it would have been Briellen as she has been standing and cruising around for months!!

I can't believe they are growing so quickly.

Ivy Walking


Mitchell Walking


Luke Walking


p.s. ignore the disaster that is my house... The only time it is not strewn with toys is after they go to bed at night.